Refrigerated shelf



Sept. 20, y1960 n. A. vooRHlEs REFRIGERATED SHELF Filed Nw. 6, 1958 INVENTOR.

BY MVM/27 DONALD A. VOORHl E5 ATTOENE Y REFRIGERATED ySHELF jonald A. Voorhies, Morrisville, Pa., assignor to .C. V. Hill & Company, Inc., Trenton, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 772,237 7 Claims. (Cl. 62-251) This invention relates to refrigerated shelving adapted to be used in combination with a display case or other Xture to increase the useful capacity thereof.

lt is common practice to provide display cases or fix tures with upwardly extending side walls which surround a display space that is open at the top for access to customers. Such fixtures are often relatively small and inexpensive and may be used in Various locations wherein larger and heavier equipment would not be suitable. Thus, they may be located in the central portion or an open area of a store, at the end of an aisle between other fixtures and elsewhere. However, in many instances it is desirable to increase the storage and display capacity of a fixture particularly when the arrangement of the fixtures in a store is to be changed.

In accordance with the present invention, refrigerated shelving is provided which is adapted to be applied to existing low walled fixtures to serve as a super-structure extending upward from one wall of the fixture and provided with shelves and refrigerating means which greatly increase the eective capacity of the equipment. The refrigerated shelving is constructed as a unit which may be applied to either refrigerated or non-refrigerated equipment and is secured in place thereon so as to present the appearance of an integral part of the original equipment. The units of the present invention are selfcontained in that they include an evaporator and a blower for cooling and circulating air about and over merchandise supported on the shelves. Moreover, the construe tion is such that any refrigerated air owing forward and downward from the shelving may be added to that circulating in a lower refrigerated case or may serve to cool articles, such as vegetables or the like which may be contained in the display space of a non-refrigerated case to which the unit is applied.

The shelving of the present invention may be made up in suitable lengths or sections, say, 4, 6 or 8 feet in length and may be applied to a fixture which is either the same length or longer than the unit. The unit can, in fact, be applied to a shorter xture, if desired, provided there is no objection to an overhang at the end of the fixture. Moreover, the units may be applied to two abutting lixtures to extend upward from the rear wall of both cases.

Thus, the unit of the present invention is adaptable to various installations and locations and affords great flexibility in use.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of refrigerated shelving adapted for application to various types of existing display fixtures.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for increasing the display and storage capacity of existing features used in self-service stores and elsewhere. A further object of the invention is to provide a unit adapted to be super-imposed on existing fixtures and comprising shelving together with means for refrigerating and circulating air over the shelves.

States Patent These and other objects and features of the present in- Patented Sept. 20, 1960 6Fice vention will appear from the following description thereof wherein reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through a typical unit embodying the present invention as applied to a typical form of display case, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the construction shown in Fig. 1 taken on the line 2 2 thereof.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration the unit of the present invention is indicated generally at 2 and is applied to a typical or conventional form of display case indicated at 4. The display case has a display space 6 with a front wall 8 that may include a glass panel 10, end walls 12 and an insulated rear wall 14. The case shown is refrigerated by means of an evaporator coil 16 and air is circulated over the evaporator and from the rear to the front of the case by means of a blower 18.

The unit 2 is provided with an insulated rear wall 20 which preferably includes front and rear metal facing sheets 22 enclosing the insulating material 24. Brackets 26, which are of generally Z-shaped cross section, extend vertically from the front of the rear wall 20 and are spaced apart a suitable distance to assure relatively free circulation of air upward adjacent the rear wall. The tubes of an evaporator 28 extend horizontally adjacent the rear wall of the unit and are supported by the brackets 26. The brackets further serve to support a duct member 30 which is held in spaced relation with respect to the rear wall 20 so as to form an air duct 32 within which the coils of the evaporator 28 are located.

The duct member 30 is preferably formed of perforated sheet material and has openings 34 therein adapted to receive the rearwardly projecting lugs 36 carried by supports 38 for shelves 40. The openings 34 may be suitably spaced and arranged to permit the shelves 40 to be located in various adjusted positions and further serve as outlets through which refrigerated air may flow forwardly from the air duct 32 and over the shelves 40 and about the articles supported thereon.

The lowermost shelf 42 of the unit is preferably imperforate and forms the upper surface of a fan housing 44. A blower or fan 46 is :located within the housing and a partition member 48 is arranged to divide the housing into an inlet chamber through which air is drawn from the air inlet 50 and an outlet chamber from which the air is directed to the lower end 52 of the air duct 32.

The air inlet 50 preferably faces forwardly and downwardly below the Ilowermost shelf 42 so that it will not be obstructed by articles placed on the shelf and the fufll area of the shelf may therefore be utilized. Morcover when a unit embodying the presen-t invention is used in combination with a refrigerated display case, such as that shown at L4, the flow of air into the inlet 50 from a point adjacent the top of the display Space 6 serves to reduce the tendency for warm air from above the display space to mingle with the refrigerated air being circulated through the display case. Moreover, any refrigerated air flowing downwardly and forwardly from the shelves of the unit 2 will mingle with the air being circulated in the display case whereby the external air entering the air stream of the display case is reduced in temperature. In this way, the efciency of the refrigerated display case itself is increased.

Of course, if the display case to which the unit 2 is applied is not refrigerated, the refrigerated air flowing downward from the shelves of the unit 2 will serve to cool the articles in the display space to some extent. The units of the present invention can therefore be used to advantage with unrefrigerated cases employed for the display of vegetables and other articles which do not require refrigeration but are advantangeously kept in a cool fresh condition. A

The upperportion of the unit 2 is provided Vwith a top 54'which extends forwardly from therear' wall 20 and may be provided with a light 56 andk reector 58'.

The evaporator 28 is provided with connections- 59 by which refrigerant may be supplied to the'evaporator from the compressor and condenser associated with thedisplay case 4 or from any other source'desred such as refrigerating'means located in a basement or'elsewhere.

' The evaporator' also may be provided with defrost'- ing means such as the electrical elements `60 and the lower portion of the outlet chamber of thefan housing 44 may beV inclined rearwardly and provided with a drain outlet as shown at 62v for directing water dripping from the evaporator during the defrosting operation into the rear portion of the display case' 4 or to any other suitable point.VL

The rear Wall 20 of the unit 2 preferably presents' a horizontal lower edgerwhich is provided with a positioning strip 64 designed lto rest upon the upperv edge of the rear wall 14 of the display case 4. A gasket or sealing strip 66 may be located between the' positioning strip 64 and the top of wall 1'4 and a cover strip 68 is pro- Vvided to extend downward from the'front face Vof the rear wall 20 of `the unit to conceal the sealing strip 66 and present a neat trim appearance. Y

Standards or attaching members 70 are secured to the rear face of the rear Wall 20 of unit 2 andV extend downward below the ylower edge of the unit into position to be secured to therrear face of the rear wall 1'4 of unit 4. The attaching members illustrated areein the v form of I beams' or standards which may extendVv all theY way to the floor or lower portion of the display case 4; These standards, whenl suitablyv secured to the rear wall 20 of the unit 2 and the rear wall 14v of thev `display case 4,Y serve to'prevent forward tilting movement of' the unit even when the shelves and 42' are heavily loaded with merchandise. Y Y

In using units of the character described, it will be readily seen that they may be applied to substantiallyany type of display case, bin, table` or other support or they may even be suspended Yfrom a wall in any desired location. The units may bemade in suitable standard lengths for application to conventionaljixtures but it is not necessary that the length of the unit be as great as that of the case or xture tol which it is applied. In fact, the equipment frequently is given a unique and attractive appearance by reason of the use of a unit which is shorter than the case and appears to be an' integral super-structure of less width than the case.

The units also may extend across Ythe* ends of two abutting cases so that one end of the unit is secured tok and supported by one case andthe other end of the unit is secured to and supported by'an adjacent case.

The construction thus provided is capable of many uses and applications and renders it possible to increase the capacity and utility of existing fixtures and to vary the arrangement and uses thereof. Y

It will, of course, be understood that the form, construction and arrangement of the elements employed in the construction of units embodying the present invention are capable of wide variation. In view thereof it should be understood that the particular form of the unit shown in thedrawing and 'described above is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A unit adapted to be applied to a ldisplay Ycase or the 'likev to increase the useful capacity thereof, said unit comprising an insulated rearwa-ll, a perforated duct member spaced from said rear wall and cooperating therewith to form a vertically extending air duct, shelves carried by said unit and extending horizontally in front 4 of said duct member, means for refrigerating and circulating air .through said air duct andi into contact with articles supported on said shelves including an air inlet beneath the lowermost of said shelves and communicating with said air duct, and `attaching means secured to said rear wall of the unit and extending downward below the same into position to be secured to a display case or the like.

2. A unit adapted to be Yapplied to a display case or the like to increase the useful'capacity thereof, said unit comprising an insulated rear wall presenting a horizontal lower edge for engagement with the upper edge of a display case, means secured to saidrear wall and extending downward below said lower edgeinto position to be secured to a wall of a Idisplay case, shelves carried by said unit and positioned in front of said rear wall, an air duct extending vertically of said unit between said rear wall and said shelves, an evaporator located in said air duct, and a blower located below the lowermost shelf of said unit and operable to .direct air upward through said air duct and over said evaporator, said air duct having an inlet opening below the llowermost shelf of the unit and the upper portion of said air duct having forwardly facing openings therein through which refrigerated air may flow into contact with articles on said shelves.

3. A unit adapted to'be applied to a display case to increase the useful capacity thereof, said unit comprising an insulated rear wall, attaching means secured to the rear wall of the unit and extending downward below the same for securing said unit in place with respect to a display case, a perforated duct member spaced'from said rear wall and cooperating therewith to form an air duct, shelves carried by said unit and extending forwardly infront of said duct member, a housing located below the lowermost shelf Vof the unit and having a ydownwardly facing air inlet therein communicating through said housing with the lower portion of said air duct, means for refrigerating air circulating through said air duct, and a blower in said housing for circulating said air.

4. A unit comprising an insulated rear wall having a horizontal lower edge adapted to rest upon the upper edge of a display case, attaching means secured to said rear wall and extending downward below said lower edge into position to be secured to a display case, spaced vertically extending bracket members secured to the front wall of the unit, a duct member secured to said bracket members and spaced from said rear wall to fonn a vertically extending air duct, saidi duct member having openings therein, shelf supports securedv tosaid duct member and projecting forwardly therefrom invertically spaced relation, shelves on said supports in position to receive air issuing from said openings in said duct member, an evaporator located in said air ducts and supported by said"4 bracket members, aV housing located below the lowermost shelf on said unit and havingvaforwardly and downwardly facing'air inlet through which air may ow from said inlet to the llower portion of said air duct, and a blower in said housing operable to draw air in through said air inlet and force it through said air duct and over saidV evaporator and thence through opening in the yduct member into contact withV articles supported on said shelves. i

5. In combination with a display case having a'display space which is open for access at the top butY surrounded by upwardly extending walls one of which presents a horizontal upper edge, a unit applied to said display case and having an insulated rear wall presentinga horizontal lower'edge resting upon said `horizontal'upper edge of said display case,means secured to saidrear wall'of said unit and toy said display case for attaching the unit to the display case, a duct member Vspaced from said rear wall of the unit and cooperating therewith to form an air duct, shelves carried by the unit and located in front of said duct member, said air Aduct having an inlet located below the lowermost shelf of the unit and above the display space of said display case and means carried by said unit for refrigerating and circulating air through said inlet and to said air duct and over said shelves independently of any elements employed in said display case.

6. In combination with a display case having a display space which is open for access at the top but surrounded by upwardly extending walls one of which presents a horizontal upper edge, a unit applied to said display case and having an insulated rear Wall presenting a horizontal lower edge resting upon said horizontal upper edge of said display case, means secured to said rear wall of said unit and to said display case :for attaching the unit to the display case, a duct member spaced from said rear wall of `the unit and cooperating therewith to form an air duct, shelves carried by the unit and located in front of said `duct member, and projecting forwardly over a portion of the display space in said `display case, a housing located below the lowerrnost shelf of said unit and having an air inlet facing forwardly and downwardly above the display space of said display case, means in said air duct for refrigerating air passing therethrough, and means in said housing for drawing air through said air inlet and forcing it through said air ducts and out- 25 ward therefrom into contact with articles on said shelf.

7. In combination with a display case having a display space which is open at the top for access to customers but closed about the sides by upwardly extending walls one of which presents a horizontal upper edge, means for refrigerating and circulating air through said display space, a unit applied to said display case and having an insulated rear wall presenting a horizontal lower edge resting upon said horizontal upper edge of said display case, means secured to said rear wall of said unit and to said display case for attaching the unit to the display case, a duct member spaced from said rear wall of the unit and cooperating therewith to form an air duct, shelves carried by the unit and located in front of said duct member and projecting forwardly over a portion of the display space in said display case, a housing located below the lowermost shelf of said unit and having an air inlet facing forwardly and downwardly above the display space of said display case, means in said air duct for refrigerating air passing therethrough, and means in said housing for drawing air through said air inlet and forcing it through said air ducts and outward therefrom into Contact with articles on said shelf.

Spangler Jan. 24, 1950 Pabst Apr. 22, 1952 

